North Dakota
Photos: Thousands attend 'Hands Off' protests across Minnesota, North Dakota
MINNEAPOLIS — Hundreds, sometimes thousands, gathered in clusters across North Dakota and Minnesota on Saturday, April 5 as part of a nationwide day of protest against actions by the White House administration.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” protests were scheduled to take place across the United States Saturday as citizens gathered to rally against President Donald Trump and adviser Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency.
The Hands Off 2025 website said April 5 was a day for people to take to the streets nationwide with the message “Hands off!” to fight back against the “most brazen power grab in modern history.” The website specifically mentions cuts to Social Security, firing federal workers and cutting consumer protections and health care funding.
In Alexandria, Minnesota, organizers said they were expecting around 300 people, but that Alexandria Area Indivisible ended up running out of the 500 buttons they brought to give away. Alexandria’s rally included comments from Leah Landwehr, a local veteran, who talked to attendees about the importance of the Veterans Administration to local vets.
DETROIT LAKES — More than 200 people showed up at a rally and town hall in Detroit Lakes on Saturday.
The event was held in the former Ace Hardware building downtown — the site of the future Manna Food Co-op.
A large federal grant — awarded to Manna and later pulled — was set to be used for a commercial kitchen in the new Manna building. Manna Food Co-op Treasurer Ryan Pesch said that the Trump Administration likes to frame any spending it cuts as benefiting “a bunch of fraudulent moochers,” but said that the grant to Manna would have supported local contractors and community members.
The Detroit Lakes rally also played host to criticism of Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach for not conducting in-person town hall events, of Trump’s various tariffs on imported goods and against a swath of federal funding cuts or proposed reductions.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the crowd at Duluth’s Hands Off rally on Saturday.
Tom Wilson of Eau Claire reported roughly 2,500 people had attended the Duluth event on Saturday. Wilson also attended an event in Superior, Wisconsin, where organizers estimated roughly 500 people turned out.
“I’ve been political all my life,” said Wilson, who will turn 80 next month. Going back to the early 1960s, Wilson said he’s been involved in protests for civil rights, against war, and for the environment, and as critical as those issues were, this moment feels even more critical.
“If you read the Declaration of Independence, almost any one of our grievances against King George equally apply to Donald 2.0,” Wilson said “That’s it. The very truly founding principles of our country are at risk at this point.”
Similar events took place around the Northland Saturday, including in Chisholm, Cloquet, Ely, Grand Marais and Grand Rapids.
Approximately 2,000 people lined both sides of Veterans Memorial Bridge between Fargo and Moorhead to protest the actions of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Organizer Lyn Dockter-Pinnick, of Moorhead, said organizers hoped 500 people would show up and she was overcome by the showing.
Periodically, someone broke into a chant, “Show me what democracy looks like,” and the crowd responded with, “This is what democracy looks like.” At other times, the crowd chanted, “Protect the Constitution, the promise of our union.”
Tammy Shannon, of Moorhead, not only carried a sign, she dressed in the long red cloak and white bonnet popularized by Margaret Atwood’s “Handmaid’s Tale” as an additional protest about what’s happening regarding women’s rights.
A rally in Bismarck drew 1,000 attendees Saturday.
Hundreds of people attended a protest near and on Grand Forks’ Sorlie Memorial Bridge against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Saturday.
Cathy Williams, of Indivisible Grand Forks, estimated more than 400 people were in attendance, both Democrats and Republicans.
“This is just a wonderful turnout on a beautiful day,” she said.
Williams and Sheila Fontaine, chair of the Minnesotan Polk County and Red Lake County DFL, were two organizers of the protest on their side of the river.
“(Veterans Affairs), Medicare, Medicaid, social security, LGBTQ, veterans, federal workers, you name it,” she said. “That’s the theme from a lot of the signs — hands off.”
About six or seven North Dakota organizations put together the Grand Forks protest, while the Polk County and Red Lake County DFL organized the East Grand Forks one.
Delaney Otto / Grand Forks Herald
The protesters on both sides of the river met on the Sorlie Memorial Bridge around 4:10 p.m. after spending more than an hour on their respective sides. The groups came together with chants supporting democracy, cheering on cars that honked as they drove by on the bridge.
About 130 people gathered on public sidewalks on Saturday in Jamestown, holding signs in a peaceful protest.
Olivia Schloegel and Barb Lang, both members at large of the League of Women Voters of North Dakota, helped to organize the event.
Schloegel said people are affected locally by federal cuts, from Social Security to a USDA program that provided food for schools.
“And so we wanted to make sure that local folks had an opportunity to show up and speak out against what we don’t agree with, which is these destructive cuts at the federal level,” she said.
People participating spoke about, and carried signs about, various issues, including Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and support for veterans, victims of domestic violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community and transgender individuals.
At Rochester’s event, hundreds of people carried signs about federal funding cuts, demanding protections for Medicaid and supporting veterans.
“This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies,” the event page said. “Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.”
Rochester’s event ended with live music.
Organizers estimate that more than 2,000 people attended St. Cloud’s Hands Off Protest on Saturday.
“The turnout’s incredible. I counted 2,125 people,” said Jill Kelly, one of the event organizers. She said she walked up and down the protest, which was a few people deep over more than two blocks on either side of Division Street.
Avery Bond of St. Cloud said she showed up to represent the people who would not be able to be at a protest like this one because it wouldn’t be safe. She said people should take hope from a protest like this.
“Anybody who feels like they’re alone going crazy, because the world’s falling apart around us, obviously there are a lot more people who are right here standing with us,” Bond said.
Carter Olson of Sartell held a sign that said “Hands off Dept of Education.” He’s working to get his teacher’s license, he said.
MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – The North Dakota State Fair in Minot is less than two months away, and there are a few new things to tell you about.
General manager Craig Rudland said there will be several new rides, including one that goes up to 140 feet tall, 80 miles per hour.
He said another big project they’ve been working on is installing Wi-Fi all across the fairgrounds.
The fair is celebrating 60 years this year.
“We’ve probably installed somewhere in the neighborhoods of 120 miles of fiber throughout the fairgrounds. That’s going to help our vendors and a lot of other things work a lot smoother,” said Rudland.
Work crews are also on the second phase of a roofing project on the State Fair Center, that thousands of vendors and exhibitors use year round.
The project will cost about $6 million.
This year the fair runs from July 18-26.
Copyright 2025 KFYR. All rights reserved.
FARGO — An 18-year-old student who moved from Omaha to Fargo just weeks ago is defying the odds and preparing to graduate from high school on June 6 after overcoming immense challenges — including neglect, instability and an academic setback of nearly three semesters.
Jason Seminara-Bronston, who will soon take the last name of his adoptive parents, Rayburn, was living in a difficult situation in Omaha earlier this year. He was sharing a home with his sister, her boyfriend, and her three children, and struggling in school with a GPA below 1.0.
“I was being stolen from — all checks that were provided from the government for me were being stolen … stolen and spent on weed from my sister,” Jason said. “It wasn’t the best. I was falling behind in school.”
Jason had spent time in foster care earlier in life and was living with his grandmother until she was killed in a car crash in October.
When Jason’s aunt and uncle, Kristi and Cliff Rayburn of Fargo, were contacted about his repeated absences from school this spring, they made the trip to Omaha. Though Jason had only known them since 2021, he asked if he could live with them.
“He approached us and basically said, ‘Hey, I’m not happy with where I’m at now. Can I come with you?’ And it takes some guts to do that,” Cliff Rayburn said.
Determined to earn his diploma, he began commuting back and forth between Omaha and Fargo on weekends to stay with the Rayburns, whom he now calls Mom and Dad. In early May, he was allowed to officially transfer to Dakota High School in Fargo.
“Look, you’ve got essentially three semesters of school that you have to do. You know, there’s a lot of work there,” Cliff told him.
Jason took on the challenge headfirst. “I was like, well, might as well just try,” he said.
He completed all the necessary coursework in just 12 days.
“He did something nobody thought he was going to be able to do, and he did it in 30 less days than anybody even anticipated,” Cliff said.
Now, Jason is catching up on childhood experiences he says he never had. He’s spent the past few weeks learning how to ride a motorcycle, having water gun fights, and eating family dinners — something he says he never experienced growing up.
“(The) first time I sat down and had dinner with them, that was the first time I’ve actually ever done that in my whole life. And I didn’t even tell them that. They didn’t even know that,” he said.
Jason plans to enlist in the Army and is currently speaking with recruiters.
“It’s more fun to watch him not only grow, but also, even at 18, still realize he can be a kid, right?” Cliff said.
Kristi Rayburn, who is currently in Nebraska working through a custody battle for Jason’s nieces and nephews, said via text that it was Jason’s choice to turn his life around.
“I think every kid deserves that opportunity. And when an 18-year-old comes to me and says, ‘Hey, these are my plans. This is what I want to do,’ and he puts the work in — why would you not?” Kristi said.
Jason will walk across the stage at Dakota High School on June 6, proving what can be done with the right support and determination.
MINOT, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong along with Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Sara Otte Coleman and DMAND president Julie Rygg presented seven Governor’s Travel and Tourism Awards during the North Dakota Travel Industry Conference in Minot in late April.
/ Courtesy ND Commerce Dept.
The Governor’s Travel and Tourism Awards recognize the passion and dedication of North Dakotans who have contributed to the growth of travel and tourism in North Dakota.
“Tourism is a vital part of North Dakota’s economy, and we are honored to celebrate these exceptional leaders who work tirelessly to promote and enhance our legendary state,” Armstrong said in a release. “Their creativity and dedication are key to attracting millions of visitors each year. We owe much to the more than 3,000 businesses and over 45,000 individuals in the travel industry who make North Dakota unique, create unforgettable experiences and contribute to our economic diversity.”
2025 award winners:
Heritage Award for a Front-line Tourism Employee – Kelly Sorge, Indian Hills Resort
Kelly represents the third generation of family ownership, building a reputation for exceptional service at Lake Sakakawea. Her dedication to the tourism industry and ability to enhance visitor experiences have left a lasting impression on guests for over four decades. Kelly’s proactive approach to solving problems and developing resort amenities ensures guests have access to well-maintained facilities. Her community engagement and efforts to promote the Lake Sakakawea area have contributed to the overall growth of tourism. Her natural ability to connect with guests and her passion for service make her a trusted resource for visitors. Kelly’s exceptional dedication and unwavering commitment to ensuring every guest has a memorable experience make her a standout figure in the tourism industry.
Sakakawea Award for a Behind-the-Scenes Tourism Employee – Deanne Cunningham, North Dakota Dept of Commerce
As Commerce’s Visitor Sales and Services Manager, Deanne has made a profound impact on the state’s tourism industry over her 26-year career. Known for her dedication and expertise in group travel, Deanne has developed meticulous itineraries and facilitated FAM tours, building strong partnerships with local tourism entities. During her 26 years at North Dakota tourism, Deanne has provided trip planning assistance to thousands and worked with hundreds of tour operators on itineraries throughout our great state. Her focus on exceptional customer service has driven longer stays and increased visitor spending. Deanne’s “can-do” attitude and genuine friendliness are integral to North Dakota’s welcoming image. Her contributions have significantly shaped the tourism landscape, encouraging all to “Be Legendary”!
Amplifier Award for Marketing Excellence – Brock White, marketing campaign for Watford City
Brock has been a driving force in elevating Watford City’s profile through innovative marketing and communication strategies. His creative initiatives, such as the Living in McKenzie County Podcast, The Watford Minute, and the Watford City YouTube Channel, have significantly increased the city’s visibility and fostered a strong sense of community. Brock’s efforts have attracted new residents and visitors while strengthening local pride and engagement. His strategic marketing for Fox Hills Golf Course and the Rough Rider Center has further highlighted Watford City as a vibrant destination. Brock’s use of digital media has effectively connected the community and showcased the city’s unique charm and growth. His dedication to enhancing community identity and driving action has established Watford City as a new standard for marketing excellence in North Dakota.
Flint Firestarter Award for a Tourism Development Project – Jeff and Jennifer, Gooss Wheelchairs and Walleyes
The mission to make outdoor lake recreation accessible for everyone, regardless of physical ability, began in Beulah, North Dakota. Jeff and Jennifer Gooss led this initiative, resulting in the construction of the most inclusive wheelchair ramp and lift in the state at Beulah Bay Campground on Lake Sakakawea. This milestone was celebrated with the first-ever Wheelchairs & Walleyes charity tournament and a Children’s Mobility Awareness Day Festival on July 25, 2024. The impact was immediate, inspiring requests for similar projects across the region. Jeff and Jennifer’s goal is to ensure every disabled individual can experience the joy of lake life. They are now partnering with Devils Lake leaders to bring an ADA-accessible ramp and chair lift to Lakewood Park, with future expansions planned for Hazen Bay, on Lake Sakakawea.
Trailblazer Award for Tourism Innovation – Joe Weigand, Theodore Roosevelt Reprisor
Joe Wiegand, the world’s best Theodore Roosevelt reprisor, has significantly boosted awareness and visitation to North Dakota, contributing to the state’s tourism growth. His portrayal of President Theodore Roosevelt across all fifty U.S. states highlights North Dakota’s historical and cultural richness. Performances at prestigious venues, including the White House and on the History Channel, extend the state’s brand image nationally. Regular appearances in Medora have made him synonymous with Roosevelt, drawing over 6,000 visits per year to his Teddy Roosevelt Show. With a tireless travel schedule hosting over 100 events annually, he positions himself as a key ambassador for North Dakota. His efforts include engaging with K-12 education and children’s hospitals, promoting North Dakota’s heritage. Dedication to connecting with tourists and fostering community pride makes him a vital figure in North Dakota’s tourism industry.
Legend Award for Travel & Tourism Industry Leadership – Stephanie Schoenrock, Visit Minot
Stephanie Schoenrock has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the tourism industry. With 20 years of experience in tourism marketing at KK Bold, the state fair, and Visit Minot, Stephanie has gained valuable public and private sector insights. As the director of Visit Minot, she has shown problem-solving skills and collaboration, packaging and cross promoting the Highway 2 corridor and leading multiple projects in downtown Minot. Stephanie’s efforts have made downtown Minot a destination, and she has also worked on the Union Silos Project, Norsk Høstfest, the North Dakota State Fair, and launched a new website. Her innovative and resilient planning for this year’s Travel Industry Conference and leadership in merging DMAND and TAP have created a more impactful voice for North Dakota’s travel and tourism industry. Stephanie’s dedication and vision have significantly contributed to the growth and success of tourism in the region.
Wade Westin Award – Darian Morsette, MHA Tourism
Darian Morsette, who served as the MHA Tribal Tourism Director and President of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance (NDNTA), was a visionary leader whose work transformed tourism in North Dakota. In 2016, Darian co-founded the NDNTA, uniting representatives from the five tribes that share geography with North Dakota to promote and preserve their culture and history. His leadership brought significant economic benefits to tribal communities and increased awareness of native cultures, stories and traditions. Darian’s numerous accomplishments included establishing the first Indian Relays, developing statewide and regional tours, and building strong relationships with neighboring communities. His dedication to his work and genuine care for those around him made him a beloved colleague and friend. Even in his final days, Darian remained committed to preparing his team for the future of tribal tourism. His legacy will continue to inspire and guide those who were fortunate enough to work with him.
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